The Silver Dragon flapped its magnificent leather wings as it streaked across the sky, with Rhaegar taking off from the Dragonpit in King's Landing, followed closely by two other demon dragons.
The people of King's Landing looked up, watching the beautiful, looming dragon shadows gradually fade into the distance.
"The Triumphant Prince!" "The Triumphant One!" "The triumphant silver dragon!"
The crowds in King's Landing were very fond of this silvery flash above the city.
Prince Rhaegar had won the war, and the taxes from the Stepstones had strengthened the Iron Throne, with a portion also used to improve the lives of the poor.
Whoever kept the people fed, they would love.
Rhaegar's route was very clear: starting from King's Landing, passing Dragonstone and Storm's End, and finally arriving at the Stepstones.
The regions he mainly traversed were the Crownlands and the Stormlands.
The Crownlands, the Stormlands, and the Westerlands were considered the smaller regions among the Seven Kingdoms, though the Crownlands possessed the massive city of King's Landing and, coupled with the trade towns of other Lords, remained relatively wealthy.
As for the Westerlands, they had gold, so that went without saying.
Only the Stormlands were battered by the storms and gales of the Narrow Sea year-round; relatively speaking, the Stormlands had a smaller population and less wealth, but they produced warriors as fierce as the storms themselves.
The Iron Throne had drafted a list of eligible young men for Rhaegar, intending for them to serve as the Prince's attendants.
米斯.慕顿 of Maidenpool, Rickard Lonmouth of the Stormlands, and, of course, 琼恩.克林顿.
They were old acquaintances and could be considered loyal, and Rhaegar had a good impression of all three.
Rhaegar had the three of them undergo training at the Dragonpit Camp first, waiting for his further arrangements.
At Dragonstone, Rhaegar let the three demon dragons have a good romp on Dragonmont, and then absorbed a large amount of heat from the heart of fire dragon nest.
Although the demon dragons could no longer inhabit the heart of fire dragon nest—it was too cramped—they still loved the heat emitted by the heart of fire when they slept, and they liked to sleep curled around it, which served as a simulation of the volcanic environment of Dragonmont.
Leaving Dragonstone, Rhaegar flew south, sweeping over the ocean and surveying the fleet until he saw the massive Storm's End standing majestically between the sea and the sky.
The giant drum tower of Storm's End seemed like a hand reaching for the heavens, shooting straight into the clouds.
Storm's End had only this one giant tower, yet it housed granaries, barracks, banquet halls, and noble quarters.
Those light-gray megaliths seemed to have stood there forever, unafraid of the ravages of time and weather.
Storm's End, the city of suffering in the world of ice and fire, seemed to have been under siege from beginning to end, but the castle was indeed impregnable and difficult to breach.
"What a marvel!" Rhaegar exclaimed, looking at Storm's End.
Storm's End, The Eyrie, and Casterly Rock could be considered the pinnacles of strongholds in the Seven Kingdoms, perhaps with the addition of the desolate and dilapidated Harrenhal.
As for King's Landing, without a dragon, its city defenses were no better than an eggshell, with no natural barriers to defend; furthermore, King's Landing had too large a population, and a simple siege could trigger riots that would destroy the city.
According to songs, Storm's End was a sturdy fortress built by the first Storm King, Durran, which had survived the endless rage of the God of the Sea and the Goddess of the Wind, and could still overlook the sea and sky after being ravaged by storms seven times.
Westeros was, after all, in a low-magic era, which was why these wonders of stone that seemed to transcend human ability existed.
The castle was said to be protected by spells woven into the walls to prevent magic from penetrating them.
Storm's End was famous for the height and thickness of its walls.
The magnificent outer wall was a hundred feet high, a fortress built entirely of stacked megaliths, with the stones fitted so ingeniously that every part was rounded and seamless, without corners or cracks, remaining as it was despite the ravages of wind and rain.
The thickness of the castle was equally astonishing, with the narrowest part being forty feet thick and the side facing the sea being nearly eighty feet thick; the walls consisted of two layers of megaliths with gravel and crushed stone in between.
It was said that Storm's End was built with the help of the Children of the Forest, and the megaliths were filled with magic.
Some also attributed the castle to a young boy, the future Bran the Builder.
But regardless, it always carried a hint of mysterious legend.
"I must find traces of magic!" Rhaegar thought, looking at this massive city, having found his answer.
Although magic was rare, it was not nonsense.
Take the Valyrian Dragonlords, for example; while the ancient Valyrian Dragonlords were certainly illustrious, overbearing, and unyielding, the hatred they provoked was equally surging.
If not for their magic, they would likely have been wiped out many times over.
Rhaegar landed at Storm's End; there were not many people inside.
Like The Eyrie, this city was magnificent enough, but the population it could accommodate was relatively limited, as the logistical burden could not be too heavy.
Under the banner of the crowned Stag of the Baratheon family, Ser Steffon led the courtiers, stewards, and maesters of the Baratheon family to welcome the Prince's arrival.
Rhaegar was wearing the recently popular Rhaegar-shirt, made of pure black silk with a Silver Dragon emblem, and he carried a shadow cleaver at his waist.
This simple T-shirt had become popular among sailors, soldiers, and craftsmen; it was indeed cool to wear and was deeply loved.
"Prince, you should also pay attention to your attire. During ceremonies or when at war, you should wear formal attire or armor. You must pay attention to etiquette and also to safety," Ser Steffon said.
"Yes, but in front of acquaintances and relatives, one is always more relaxed," Rhaegar said with a smile.
Ser Steffon took Rhaegar on a tour of Storm's End, personally explaining the local customs to Prince Rhaegar, who would be staying there for a few days.
Rhaegar practiced martial arts in the training yard with Robert and Stannis, and took walks on the beach with Roberta.
This green land, full of storms and rainforests, also possessed a vibrant vitality.
"Again!" In the training yard of Storm's End, Robert swung his warhammer at Rhaegar.
He was naturally strong and had the aptitude of a top-tier expert, but he couldn't improve further; it was nothing more than the ferocity in Robert's blood that allowed him to display great power in war.
But once he reached a stable level, only magic could elevate one above mortals.
Rhaegar gently swung his dull sword, but Robert was shaken back several steps.
Robert had always been proud of his mighty strength, and he didn't expect to run into such a tough opponent; to be honest, he felt a sense of frustration.
Robert swung his warhammer and waved it a few more times in the training yard; the boy was still a bit unwilling to admit defeat, and he loved the sound of steel clashing.
"Just keep practicing!" Rhaegar said, putting down his dull sword; Robert had undoubtedly been defeated.
"I might not be good enough now, but I will definitely defeat you one day!" Robert Baratheon said.
The boy truly loved martial arts, but unfortunately, he had too many passionate interests; if not for his indulgence in wine and women, his martial skills might have had more room to grow.
"Then I shall wait for you," Rhaegar said.
"You're a few years younger, little brother! Maybe you'll win in the future," Roberta comforted him.
"Let's go flying!" Rhaegar said to the waiting Roberta.
"Come on up!" Rhaegar took Roberta's hand, and the girl was not afraid of the dragon.
The Silver Emperor carried the two of them, circling above Storm's End.
She had a certain amount of dragon blood in her, so the demon dragon was not particularly resistant to her.
"That little silver-haired dragon is truly attractive. Have you seen those beautiful maids and noble ladies looking at him as if they want to devour him?" Robert said to Stannis, standing by the castle wall.
"That is for certain, brother. Rhaegar is the heir to the Iron Throne, he has a dragon, and he is talented and skilled in battle. It's perfectly normal for sister to like him. Besides, sister is not bad herself; she is the light of our Stormlands," Stannis said.
"That may be so, but our mother said that the more handsome a man is, the more likely he is to be unfaithful. This boy isn't very old, but I've heard many rumors about him, from Dornish girls to Tyroshi girls. If he's unfaithful, I'll smash his legs," Robert said, picking up his small warhammer.
"Don't you like beautiful girls yourself? And your passion only lasts for a short time? Because you teased a maid, sister has beaten you up several times," Stannis muttered quietly.
"I am me, the Prince is the Prince. I am doing this for sister's happiness," Robert said, eyes wide.
"Stop thinking nonsense! Brother, you are no match for Prince Rhaegar, and besides, sister knows martial arts herself; she'll smash the Prince to pieces herself," Stannis reminded him.
"That's true, I forgot sister is also a fierce doe," Robert slapped his forehead.
The lovers took flight on the back of the Silver Dragon, with Roberta hugging Rhaegar.
The dragon flapped its leather wings, occasionally breathing fireballs.
Because it was a newcomer on the back of the demon dragon, Rhaegar could only have the Silver Emperor slow down and fly slowly.
The two watched the sunset over the sea, with the sea breeze and waves bearing witness to them.
"This is one of my happiest days!" Roberta said.
"Me too!" Rhaegar smiled, with no war, no power struggles, only himself and the lovely girl left.
He liked the girl's bright smile and gentle eyes.
They held hands, liking each other.
The Silver Emperor was still a bit dissatisfied; why was its partner eating the bitterness of love?
more chapter available in p@tréøñ(Atoki_29)
30% offer on annual membership also.